Kiffin comes across as a guy who was born on third base and acts as if he hit a triple -- but given the way people have thrown good jobs and big money at him, it's hard to blame him for thinking he's the next Knute Rockne.

All that snappy stuff aside, Kiffin is bringing a super staff to the Trojan campus.

And don't hold his record as the Oakland Raiders coach for a season-plus against him; Norv Turner's record there shouldn't be held against him, either, based on his body of work as San Diego Chargers coach. Heck, for all we know, Tom Cable might've done some Coach of the Year work under Al Davis' thumb this past season.

Let's see how this plays out. Kiffin is young enough to withstand a couple years of probation (if that's what comes down), as long as he doesn't contribute to it. And he can recruit, that is a fact.

Sure, his head-coaching portfolio is a little lean, but so was Chuck Noll's going into Pittsburgh. And, on the collegiate level, so was Pete Carroll's.

At least let Kiffin coach a couple of USC games before you make up your mind.

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